


Alls Fair In War

by TortleTortle



Category: RWBY
Genre: Clover is baby, Fairgame, Multi, Qrow is baby, Romance, Semi canon scenes, Slow Burn, dont hurt me, i have an editor i swear, im slow, minor OCs - Freeform, no one touches baby
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25254790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TortleTortle/pseuds/TortleTortle
Summary: Clover is a detective while Qrow works at a cafe.What could possibly go wrong?Everything.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32





	1. The Cafe

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! I’m really excited to start working on this because I’ve had this idea for a really long time now and I’m looking forward to writing it!!

Detective work can be stressful and lead to over working. Despite this, Clover never really minded it because it made him feel comfortable. He fit right in with his new routine fairly quickly after joining the force, too. 

He woke up at 5 a.m., an hour long workout, showered, had a quick breakfast, and left around 7 a.m., though only after playing with his little gray and white pomsky, Kingfisher. 

He even had a routine at the office. When Clover arrives, Marrow, one of the other detectives in his department, always welcomes him. As he made his way to the coffee machines, he says ‘hello’ to the other detectives.

Clover, along with Marrow and three other detectives, are all part of the Ace Ops. The Ace Ops are General Ironwood’s best detectives. 

But today was different. 

No no, there were no other Ops there. 

Once Clover arrived at his desk, there was a note with the word ‘urgent’ written in big letters. He quickly read through it. 

Clover,

Sorry for not being able to say good morning, but we were called out early today. Also, go check with the General. He said he needed you, but isn’t able to come out of the office. 

Elm

Clover quickly tossed the note aside and headed towards the General’s office, emptying his coffee on his way. 

“Ah, Clover. Welcome.” The General was dressed in his usual attire, white slacks with a white overcoat. His expression looked pained, which only concerned Clover more. 

“I was told you needed to speak with me, what can I do for you?”

“As you may have noticed, your team has been sent out to Mantle. We’ve spotted both Tyrian Callows and Arthur Watts nearby. I want you to take Robyn and go find Watts. The others are going after Callows.”

“If I may, why Robyn?”

“You know her, she’s a good detective, and even better at getting the truth.”

“Right. When should we head out?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Yes sir.”

Clover walked out of the General’s office and made his way towards Robyn, passing by cubicles of other workers. 

Robyn Hill is a phenomenal detective, known throughout both Atlas and Mantle for how easily and quickly she can throw people in jail with solid evidence. 

Clover decided that this was a good reason to cooperate with her. 

Though, it didn’t come without struggles. 

Clover and Robyn didn’t get along in the beginning. Mainly they were just able to tolerate one another, but now, people would say they are pretty close. 

So, when Clover asked Robyn to help him, she, of course, teased him. 

“What, the General said you needed me? I’m honored. Why me anyway?” When Clover explained to Robyn what the General had said, her face was filled with pure annoyance. 

”You’re one of the best detectives, plus I need your interrogation attitude.”

“Wow, I thought he hated me.”

“Robyn, just, let’s go so we can get finished quickly.”

“Why the rush, Lucky?”

“I have things I need to work on. So I would like it if we could hurry this up.”

“Right right, important things.” Robyn grinned mischievously as she added air quotes to ‘important things’. The two finally made their way out of the office and towards Mantle.

Though it was cold, the two decided to walk because they were both used to the cold and needed to get some fresh air. The walk was quiet, but comfortable for the both of them. They walked past colorful shops, bright cafes, and crowded food stalls. Clover and Robyn, but mainly Clover, asked around if they had seen anyone that matched Arthur Watts’ description.

Sadly, no one had. 

They had been looking for a few hours when they decided to stop by a friend’s cafe. The place itself was fairly big for the space it was confined to. The outside walls were decorated with swirls and floral patterns. Even flowers littered the path from the entrance around to the back, though they were fake for being in Mantle. Inside, though, it looked even bigger. The tables were spread enough for people to have, to some degree, a private conversation. The floors had a vine pattern with more vibrant floral designs like the outer walls. The booths were basic, but still held their own uniqueness to the cafe. In the back, there was a small glass container that showcased pastries ranging from small cakes and cupcakes to breads and muffins. 

“Looks like the cops are in town. What can I get ya?” A woman trotted over to the cash register. She was wearing mainly blacks and grays under her apron. Her long black hair pulled into a tight ponytail. 

“Lucky and I were just gonna stop by. Give him a latte and me just a straight black coffee.” Robyn replied before Clover could even open his mouth. He sent a quick glare at her before turning back towards the worker. 

“So, Lace, have you seen-“

“If you’re asking about Watts, no. I haven’t seen him or his friends.” She sighed as she walked towards the counter to make their drinks. 

“How did you-“

“Your other friends stopped by with the same question. Sorry I can’t help with the search.” She frowned as she sent an apologetic look towards them. 

“Damnit, was really hoping for a break,” Robyn whined as she tapped the counter impatiently. 

“Well, I’m sure things will work out.” Lace grabbed a cup and poured a brown liquid into it, adding a little foam and making a 4-leaf clover design in the foam. “Here’s your latte, Clover.” She passed the cup over to him. She quickly made her way back to the coffee machine, searching for something as Clover went to take a drink.

“Ugh, where is he,” she mumbled as she turned the corner to the back room. “Qrow! Where the-“ she stopped mid sentence, doubling over as snickers fell from her lips before a full belly laugh escaped her. 

“Why are you-“ She couldn’t make a full sentence before breaking out into another fit of laughter. 

“Shut up!” A different voice came from the back room. This one was scratchy and oddly attractive to Clover. 

Lace made her way around the corner with another person, this one a man. Though he was covered in flour, Clover could still make out the subtle features. His eyes were a soft red. His black and gray striped hair looked soft and feathery. A little bit of stubble littered his jawline down to his chin. His body was thin, but quite tall with long legs. 

“When did you get a new worker?” Robyn glanced from Qrow then back to Lace. 

“Ah yes. Um, Clover, Robyn, this is Qrow, my new co-worker!” She threw her hands up dramatically, giving his introduction some pizazz.

“Qrow, these are some detective friends, Clover and Robyn.” She then gestured to them accordingly. 

“How long have you been working here birdie?” Robyn leaned in slightly, propping her elbow on the counter with a devilish grin on her face. Qrow just rolled his eyes at the nickname. 

“Been here for about a month.” 

“Good to know, good to know.” Robyn glanced up at Clover who hadn’t taken his eyes off of Qrow. With a closer look, Clover could spot three rings on his right wrist along with a thick black band around it. His heart swelled as he stared, heat rushing to his neck. He could barely contain the blush from creeping onto his cheeks. 

“Hm, well. Since you couldn’t find the beans, I’ll go check. You know how to work the coffee machine!” Lace quickly entered the back room, leaving in a hurry.

“Wait, Lace- fuck.” Qrow let a quick sigh fall as he made his way to the machine, starting it up. Soon, a dark brown liquid dripped into the coffee pot. Once it was finished, Qrow took the pot and poured some of the liquid into a cup, quickly handing it to Robyn. 

“So, how’s it here in Mantle? You live here?” Robyn accepted the coffee, but questioned before Qrow could leave. 

“Why do you care?” He turned back to the detective, giving her a glare. 

“If you were new, we could take you around town and show you where the best places to eat and shop at are,” Robyn answered, a grin spreading across her face. 

“Hm, well too bad, I already know my way around.” 

“Lucky you.”

“The hell's that supposed to mean?” 

The room fell into an awkward silence as both Robyn and Qrow glared at one another. 

But as soon as it came, the silence was filled with a ding at the door. 

“Uncle Qrow! We’re here!” A bright and high pitched voice entered the room as a flash of red and black ran up to the counter. 

“Ruby, slow down!” Another new voice came in, this time it was slightly lower in pitch, but seemed to be a bit more feisty. 

“Ruby, Yang, what are you two doing here?” Qrow’s face softened as Yang and Ruby’s frames entered his line of sight. Ruby was much shorter with a black and red dress that matched her short, dark and red tipped hair. Her big silver eyes filled with excitement. Yang had long blonde hair with black leggings and a pale brown crop top. Her lilac eyes widened as she saw all the flour on Qrow, which he had completely forgotten about. Robyn and Clover quickly moved out of the way as the two approached, giving them some privacy. The pair made their way to a table seat near the front window. 

“Ya know, staring is kind of rude.” Robyn leaned forward, a shit eating grin on her face. 

“I...” Clover dropped his gaze to his cup, but something caught his eye. A quick flash of a black overcoat sprinted by the window. Clover stood quickly, rushing outside, and following the man in the jacket. 

“Arthur Watts! Stop right there!” The man spun on his heel, catching a quick glimpse of the detective before running off again. Watts was dressed in black pants and a black overcoat. He had black short hair with a thick black mustache. He was tall and thin, just like Qrow, too. 

“Goddamnit, Lucky, wait up!” Robyn called from behind him, quickly catching up. 

The two ran after him, but was soon left in a fork with Watts going right. He spun around the corner, and just for a few seconds they lost sight of him as they approached the corner. 

Once they turned, they didn’t see him. It was as if he just disappeared. 

“Where the hell did he go?” Robyn’s head spun around, trying to find the familiar silhouette, but to no avail. 

“I’m not sure. Maybe he went down an alleyway?” Clover started forward, peaking through shop windows, down alleys, and in food shops. 

“Hey! You two need some help?” The blonde, Yang, turned the corner with Ruby following shortly behind her. 

“We’re fine, but thank you,” Clover answered. 

“Actually, if you see a man about this tall,” Robyn made a gesture to how tall Watts was as she spoke, “wearing mainly all black with a thick black mustache, call it in as soon as you can.”

Yang glanced at Ruby, but she was watching Robyn as she nodded.

“If you do, run. He’s a dangerous man,” Clover quickly added.

“We will!” Ruby was the one to answer. 

“Thanks pipsqueak,” Robyn grinned down at Ruby as she smiled fondly back. 

Yang gripped Ruby’s shoulder, pulling her gaze to meet hers. Her lilac eyes held pain in them. 

“Are you sure little sis?”

“Well, if we don’t help then no one will.”

“It’s dangerous, you know,” Clover stepped forward a little bit, causing the sisters to look up and meet his eyes, his face softened as they met. “Watts is quite a dangerous man. You may have heard, but some say he was...” his sentence trailed off as Ruby grimaced and Yang’s face hardened into a frown. 

“Beacon fell because of him.” Robyn stepped in and rested a hand on Clover’s shoulder for reassurance. 

“We know because...” Yang started, but the sentence fell off as tears swelled in her eyes. But she quickly wiped them away. 

“We were there.” Ruby’s eyes fell to the ground as she gripped her skirt. The silence that fell upon them wasn’t awkward, but filled with pained memories for the two girls. They had lost friends and special bonds that held their group together. 

“I heard about the fall, I’m sorry to hear that you were involved. I do hope everyone is okay?” 

“Now we are, but some of us just aren’t the same.” Ruby’s eyes filled with tears as she spoke, pain filling every word. “We lost two friends, but luckily they’re stable, or so that’s what we were told.”

“You know Ms. Nikos and Ms. Polendina?”

“Yeah, they’re our friends.” Ruby looked up at him. Clover smiled warmly as Ruby's eyes met his. 

“When was the last you heard of their condition?”

“Just a week ago.”

Clover thought carefully before continuing. “That was your uncle, the one in the cafe, correct?”

“Yeah, why?” Ruby’s eyes were quickly filled with hope at Clover’s kind tone. 

“Well, I happen to know a few things, including that they just woke up actually. Why don’t we go ask him if we can go check on your friends?” Clover smiled, his expression softened as the sisters were filled with hope and excitement. 

“Uh, Lucky, we should make it quick if we’re taking a detour. The general-“ Robyn was quickly interrupted by a shout coming from around the corner, Qrow’s eyes soon met with theirs. 

“Girls! What have I told you about running off!” He jogged up to the group with a stern expression. Once he caught up, all the words on Clover’s tongue fell off, he was stunned at the man in front of him. He had cleaned off the flour from earlier and he could see the sharp jawline much clearer now that he was much closer. Those soft eyes were stunning, even with the sharp expression. Any hope for words was a loss to him. 

“Uncle Qrow, Uncle Qrow! This man said Penny and Pyrrha are awake! Can we go see them? Please please please!” Ruby tugged on her uncle. 

“If it’s fine with them.” Qrow looked up, meeting Clover’s eyes once more. Heat began spreading through Clover’s neck, a slight blush creeping onto his cheek. 

“It’s no problem. We can uh, go now if that’s better for you all?” 

“Yeah! Now is great!” Ruby was practically vibrating with energy as Robyn began to walk towards the hospital, Yang following shortly behind. 

Clover and Qrow were left alone, by themselves, in the middle of the sidewalk, alone. 

“Uh, thanks for this I guess.” Qrow reached up to scratch the back of his neck. “Ruby, she really misses ‘em.”

“By the way she talked about them, she wants to help her friends no matter what. I admire that, especially in how young she must be,” Clover’s voice broke near the end, remembering what they said about Beacon. The two began to follow after, but not too close to be heard. “Must have been hard to see that happen to her friends. Good thing she came out on top, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s a real fighter, and with everything that happened, she only grew stronger. Same thing with Yang, though she wasn’t so lucky.” Qrow sighed as they made their way to the hospital. 

“Why’s that?” The words fell from his mouth, his detective side taking over. 

“Aren’t you a cop or something?” Qrow looked up with a smirk.

“Or something,”Clover could feel the heat spreading throughout his person. “Though, I haven’t touched the reports for some time now.”

“Her...well, her now girlfriend, ran after the fall, but they came back stronger than ever. At first, she was hesitant, but eventually warmed up again.” He let out a satisfied sigh as his smirk became a soft smile. 

“You seem proud of them.” 

“Yeah, I am.”

“Clover.” He reached his hand out for Qrow. 

“Qrow.” He hesitated, but still took Clover's hand.

Heat flowed throughout both men as they held onto one another for a moment longer than necessary. 

“So, to the hospital?” Qrow let go and smirked once again. 

“To the hospital,” Clover replied as a blush creeped onto his face. 

Qrow let a huff of a laugh escape his lips as they continued walking while Clover zoned out, only able to focus on the sounds of Qrow’s voice, the way his hair was messily combed, those soft hued eyes, and the slight stubble that lay lazily shaven on his chin. 

Gods, was he in deep. 

~~~~~

“What the hell Watts. You could’ve been captured!” The woman’s voice was filled with anger when Arthur entered the room. The woman in front of him wore a short red dress and black glass heels. Her eyes a piercing gold while her brown hair swept around her face. 

“Well I wasn’t, now, was I, Cinder?”

“Mmm yes, but you were spotted.” A scorpion Faunus entered the room, his tail swaying back and forth with blood dripping at the tip. His voice cracked with a malicious laugh. He wore white pants with tall black boots and a black overcoat, much like Watts’. 

“Quiet Tyrian, the same can be said for you too.” Cinder turned to glare at the Faunus. 

“I still got the kill, didn’t I?” Tyrian only continued to laugh as he spoke. 

“Enough you three. We got what we needed, so we should head back to Salem.” The deep voice came before the person. A large man with black pants and a black shirt stepped into the room with a loud thud with his steps. 

“Our Goddess will be joyed with our news.”

~~~~


	2. Broken and Flustered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmmm hello again!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!! Also, chapter three is currently in the works :) 
> 
> Love you all!!

The two finally made their way to the hospital where the others were. 

“Geez Lucky, what took you so long?” Robyn jabbed a finger at his chest. A grin made its way on her face. 

“Had to make a quick stop. That reminds me, Tai texted,” Qrow said as he approached his nieces. “Now, shall we go in? It’s getting kinda cold out here.” 

“Oh uh, right this way.” Clover pushed open the door to the hospital, leading into a pristine white waiting room. A few paces forward was a desk with a lanky man with wild green hair and glasses. 

“Hello, what can I do for you?” He spoke fast as the group approached. 

“We’re here to see Ms. Polendinna and Ms. Nikos.” Clover was the one to speak up. 

“Ah yes. One moment please.” 

The doctor turned to a computer, scrolling through folders and typing out a few things. 

“Ms. Polendinna is in room 324, while Ms. Nikos is 323. Just go right down that hallway and they should be on the right.” He pointed to his left. 

“Thank you doctor.” Clover nodded as the group followed the direction. The corridor was long and bright. Rooms were dispersed, making the spaces seem big. It wasn’t until the group arrived in Pyrrha’s room did they realize just how big they actually were. The space had a bed pushed up against the far wall, a chair next to the bed, and a small couch for two people next to the window. Their eyes drifted throughout the room, a table sat by the window with flowers, but as they looked towards the bed, no one was there. 

“Where’ Pyrrha?” Ruby yelped as she ran towards the bed, shoving the blankets around as if she would appear. 

“Pyrrha was up and walking around yesterday when I visited. I’m sure she’s just stretching her legs.” Clover attempted to calm her down as he slowly approached her. “Why don’t we go check on your other friend?”

“Yeah, okay.” Ruby stood and was the first out of the room. An excited yelp came through as the door to Penny’s room slid open.

“Friend Ruby! It is so good to see you!” Penny’s voice was filled with excitement and joy. Her emerald eyes shimmered as her eyes met with Ruby. 

“Penny! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Ruby ran towards her and, very carefully, scooping her into a hug. Penny’s ginger hair bounced as she was brought into Ruby’s arms. 

“How are things? What all have I missed?”

“Not much, but you’ll be out of here in no time!”

The two girls held onto each other like they were their only lifeline. Then the door slid open again, this time, a red headed girl walked in. 

“I thought I heard familiar voices,” the girl giggled as her green eyes shimmered with joy. 

“Hey Pyrrha.” Yang gathered her in a tight squeeze. 

“Hello Yang, Ruby. How are you all?” Yang let go, both girls wearing a soft smile as they gazed at each other. Pyrrha then turned her head towards Ruby. 

“Well, Jaune really misses you. I’ll make sure he knows you’re awake!” 

“Thank you, Ruby. I’ve missed all of you. Is everyone okay?” 

“We’ve been...something, that’s for sure.” Yang’s left hand drifted towards her right, and upon further inspection, was a prosthetic. 

“Yang, how did...” Pyrrha grabbed onto her prosthetic gently and examined it. “I’m so sorry.”

“Pyrrha, it’s okay. This wasn’t your fault.” She lifted her real arm, swiping a stray strand of hair out of Pyrrha’s face. “And don’t worry, we’re all good now, see?” She waved her arm around, demonstrating that it was like a real limb. 

“Well, we’ll leave you four to catch up.” Qrow stood from where he sat and motioned for Robyn and Clover to follow. The three made their way out as the kids' conversation continued. 

“Well Lucky, seems like you’ve got this all under control. I’m gonna head back to the office.” Robyn sent a quick glare at Qrow before leaving. Giving Clover a simple wave, she opened the door and left. 

“Thanks for this.” Qrow turned, a sheepish smile on his face as their eyes met. 

“Don’t worry about it. It’s the least I could do.”

The pair made their way to a set of chairs lining the walls in the waiting room. The two fell into a comfortable silence for a while, but a ping interrupted it. They each took out their phone, Clover’s was silent while Qrow’s was flashing with notifications. 

“One sec.” Qrow looked down at his phone, quickly dialing someone and taking a step out of the room and into Mantle streets. Clover watched as Qrow animatedly talked on the phone. He couldn’t exactly hear what he was saying, but his voice was definitely rising in volume. Clover became concerned. He stood quickly as Qrow put his phone back into his pocket and walked back in. 

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah yeah, don’t...don’t worry about it...” Qrow quickly waved away Clover’s concern as he walked back to his seat. A heavy sigh left him as he sat back down, leaning heavily on his knees with his elbows. Clover slowly sat down, reaching an arm out to gently rest on his shoulder. At contact, Qrow jumped nearly out of his seat, Clover pulling back instantly. 

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to spook you. Are...are you sure everything is okay?” His eyes filled with worry and comfort. Qrow glanced up, meeting his eyes, but quickly dragging them away. 

“I’ll be fine. It’s my fault for what happened anyway.” Another heavy sigh fell from his lips as he leaned back in his chair. His hand, on instinct, reached for something but quickly dropped. Shame filled his face as he stared at the ground. 

“Well, I’m here if you want to talk,” Clover’s voice was soft and gentle. His teal eyes shimmered in the light as their eyes met. Qrow’s face softened, a small smile replaced his shame. 

“It’s just been tough, for all of us really,” Qrow spoke, his voice low and rough. He slightly winced as he cleared his throat. “There’s just been a lot that’s happened. Took a toll on all of us, some better than others.” A slight laugh escaped him as he continued. “Makes me feel much older than I am.”

“Well you don’t look a day over thirty.”

“Take a man on a date first, kid.”

“Then perhaps I might.”

Qrow flushed at the comment. Did he really mean it? Was it just a joke to make him feel better?

“That is, if you’d like.”

Definitely not a joke. 

Clover’s head spun as he realized what he had said. 

But Qrow’s face...

It wasn’t a disgusted look. 

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

Qrow looked up at Clover. Once the sentence registered in Clover’s mind, he lost all focus. All thoughts left him as he stared into those beautiful red eyes. A large smile made its way onto his face as date ideas flowed into his mind. 

But the moment was quickly cut off by two very loud nieces. 

“Uncle Qrow, Uncle Qrow! We’re all hungry and we want to bring the others to see Pyrrha and Penny, can we do that?”

“Sure pipsqueak.”

“Yes!” 

Qrow glanced over to Clover, nodded, and said, “You know where to find me.”

Clover watched as the three walked out of the hospital, quickly doing the same. 

~~~~

The walk back to the office was quiet. It wasn’t like he disliked the silence, but it was unusual to what he was used to. Usually, whenever he went out, he had Marrow or even Harriet, two of the loudest of the Ace Ops. 

But no one was with him on his walk back.

It was quiet. 

Too quiet. 

There were no noises from other people’s conversations for it being a late summer afternoon. No cars, no other strangers.

It was odd. 

All sorts of situations spiraled through his mind as he walked. What if both Watts and Tyrian had something to do with it? What if they just suddenly show up, what would he do?

What COULD he do?

He only had a pistol, but he didn’t want to have to use it. 

But nothing happened.

Once entering the office, he beelined for his desk. Thinking to himself, even cursed himself for panicking when nothing would happen. 

“Yo, Lucky! How’d it go?” Robyn walked over and leaned against his desk. She had a mischievous grin on her face. “Was it enjoyable at least?”

”It went fine.” Clover gazed up at her, confusion filled his expression. Her blonde hair now lay lazily over her shoulders. 

“Wow, you already look love-struck.” A new woman walked over. Her frame was short, dark brown hair with shaved sides, and a slight tuft of white hair in the front. She was dressed in darker colors, complementing her bright pink eyes. 

“Now be quiet Harriet, the teasing is for later.” A larger built woman walked over, slinging her muscled arm around Harriet, the smaller girl. Her brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her brown eyes matched both her skin and her hair. 

“Elm, please, he deserves it for being late.” Harriet turned to glare at the larger woman, Elm, attempting to be intimidating. 

“Oh Harriet, but now isn’t the time.” Her teasing voice quickly shifted to a more serious tone. “How did looking for Watts go?”

“Mission failed, try again next time?” Robyn shrugged as she lifted herself off the desk to turn and face the others. “We spotted him, but he got too far ahead for us to be able to catch up. Still don’t really know what happened. One minute we had eyes on him, but we rounded a corner and he just disappeared.”

“Same here with Callows. Though, we never were able to catch up.”

“That’s a shame.” Clover glanced up at the other two women. “By chance, do you remember where you lost him?”

“About a block away from that one cafe, shoot what’s it called.” Harriet’s brow furrowed as she looked around, recalling the name. 

“Lancer’s Cafe?” Clover raised a curious eyebrow. 

“Yeah, that one!” Harriet snapped her finger as she spoke. 

“Well, that’s where we lost Watts too. Tomorrow, we’ll go out and check the place. See if there are any secret spaces. If we can’t find anything, then we’ll have to expand our search.”

“Will we be able to stop by the cafe?” A man jumped into the conversation, his tail wagged back and forth happily as his face matched his excitement. His dark hair was pulled back into a half man-bun, his eyes a pale blue, and his skin dark. 

“Yes Marrow, we can stop by and grab something,” Clover chuckled as his gaze drifted to the excited Faunus. 

“Oh, Clover, you’re back,” this time, it was the General. His hair seemed more mused and his eyes seemed to be more baggy than they were that morning. 

“Sir, are you okay?” Clover shot to his feet, concern spreading across his expression.

“Don’t worry about me, how did the search go?”

“Robyn didn’t tell you when she got back?”

“She didn’t stop by my office, no.”

“General, Lucky, I had something come up so I stopped halfway here,” she jumped in to defend herself, sending a quick glare at Clover before changing her expression to a more neutral look. 

“We saw him, but he...” Clover’s voice wavered as he spoke. 

“It was like he disappeared, vanished like he never existed. We tried looking, but never came across him again,” Robyn quickly interjected. 

“Very well then, carry on.” The General awkwardly waved and went back to his office. 

“Well then, let’s just get back to work, shall we?” Clover spoke quickly before anyone could question. The others nodded and headed back to their own desks. 

All Clover could think about was the conversation he had with Qrow. Could he really just go in and ask him on a date?

No. 

He had to focus on his task at hand. How could both Tyrian Callows and Arthur Watts be able to escape by just a corner?

The thought had him distracted for the rest of the day. This resulted in him not getting much done, too. 

~~~

When he finally made it back to his apartment, he quickly whipped up a quick dinner and changed into some comfy clothes. As he ate, he stared out at his empty apartment. Sure, it had a tv, a table, a sofa, and a bookshelf, but no personal items. The closest he had to personal items were a few books, but he never read them. 

Scenes throughout the day played in his mind, but one stood out. 

The image of Qrow smiling at his nieces.

Those soft red eyes, gazing into his own. That small smile that made his heart flutter. That rough voice that made his stomach flip. 

At that moment, he knew he wouldn’t be getting much sleep. 

~~~~~~

“Dear Goddess, we-“ Tyrian began, but was quickly cut off by Cinder. 

“We got what we needed with few setbacks.”

“Setbacks?” A cold voice rang through the room. A table that sat five people being the only thing in it. “I can hardly call them setbacks. No one was captured.”

“But they were-“

“I know, dear Cinder, but everyone is here.”

Tyrian’s laugh filled the silence as Cinder stared at the table in front of her in defeat. 

“Tyrian, I want you to go back and finish the job. But, bring the girl back.”

“Yes, my goddess. Anything for you.”

“Then leave, all of you.”

The other four stood and exited the room. Leaving a white headed woman with a long black dress. 

“I really hope he doesn’t mess up this time.”

~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (7/18)  
> Please don’t worry about this, this is just for me


	3. We Meet Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live to write broken Clover uwu

The alarm clock blared, causing Clover to spring out of bed, ready for the day. 

But he didn’t really land on his feet. 

No, due to the lack of sleep, he slipped and fell right on his face. 

He groaned as he moved to stand, but his body refused. His arm dropped heavily to the floor as he began pushing upward. He tried standing multiple times, but nothing happened. He wasn’t able to stand. 

So he just laid there. 

On the floor. 

As the alarm clock continued ringing, he rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling. 

As he recalled the events of the day before, heat rushed throughout his person, a slight blush creeping on his face. He sat up slapping his face, attempting to wake himself. 

It didn’t work. 

The image of Qrow filled his thoughts as he leaned against the bed frame. Thoughts spiraled through his mind. What would it be like to hold him? What about seeing him in his-

But his thoughts were quickly terminated. He shook his head as quickly as the thoughts spiraled out of control. 

“No, no, he’s just a new friend.”

He tried telling himself he was just a friend. That’s all he’ll ever be, right?

Once the refusal of his muscles stopped, he finally stood. Though, he decided to not workout and try and get another hour of sleep. 

Sleep still didn’t come easily. 

He tossed and turned throughout the hour. Just trying to close his eyes and keep them closed, but the sun shined through the curtain, causing him to not be able to drift. Heat coursed throughout his person as thoughts of Qrow continued to whirl. 

But soon came his anxiety of being rejected. What if he didn’t like him? What if he said no? What if Qrow HATED him?

“Ugh.”

He shoved his face in his pillow, attempting to calm his nerves. 

But it still never happened. 

So he did what he thought he had to do. 

Take an ice cold shower. 

He stood slowly, making his way around the few stacks of papers and towards the bathroom. When he turned the nozzle, the shower head began pouring down water. Clover quickly stripped down and stepped in. He yelped slightly as the cold water poured down his back, but he quickly adjusted to the temperature. He turned slightly so the cold water could hit his whole person before turning it up and cleaning the dirt and sweat from the day before. 

~~

Luckily, for the rest of his morning, it went smoothly. After getting out of the shower, he whipped himself up a nice, small breakfast, got dressed, and headed to the office.

Once arriving at the office, his team quickly picked up on his tiredness. 

“The hell happened to you?” Robyn was the first to notice and, of course, the one to point it out. 

“Thanks Robyn. I couldn’t get much sleep. I’ll be fine.”

“Why was that?”

“None of your business.”

“Well-“

“Robyn, I’m not telling you. Besides, it’s my love life, not yours.”

“Who said this was about a love life?”

“I...”

Clover’s jaw snapped shut as heat began coursing throughout his person. 

“So you couldn’t get sleep because of this Qrow guy, right? The one at the cafe?” Robyn leaned forward, chin resting on her palm, and a mischievous grin. 

“Nothing happened, and nothing will. I’m keeping it professional.” Clover hesitated. Could he really keep things “professional” with someone THAT handsome?

“Well, you better wake up soon. We’re leaving in an hour.” 

“You’re also coming?”

“Considering James told you to come to me yesterday, I thought I’d tag along.”

“Good, we’re gonna need your skill.” Harriet walked over, coffee in hand. Harriet winced as she looked up at Clover and said, “Damn, Captain, you look like shit.”

“Thank you, Harriet.” Clover frowned. He took a quick glance around. “Where’s Vine?”

“Ah, he got sick. Went home early yesterday, so I doubt he’ll be here today either.” Harriet took a quick sip from her cup and continued. “Meet back here when we need to leave?”

“Yes.” Clover nodded at the pair as they chatted and walked off. He sighed to himself. Standing up, he made his way to the bathroom. 

As he stared into his reflection, the memories of the night before filled his mind. The images of Qrow, the thoughts, and the actions....

His mind swirled. He shouldn't have been having these thoughts. He barely knew the man, yet he felt like he’s known him for years. How was he already this deep for this man?

“Wow, Harriet and Robyn WERE right. You look like an absolute mess.” Marrow walked into the bathroom, a horrified expression on his face as he stared at the man. 

“I’m fine, Marrow. Just didn’t get much sleep, but I’ll be fine for today. It will most likely be long, though.”

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay, well, I’ll see you in an hour!”

“Alright, see you, Marrow.”

~~~

The hour passed by quickly. Clover was even able to get some things done before leaving. 

“Hey Lucky, we’re ready when you are.” Robyn trotted over, swinging her keys around her index finger. 

“So we’re driving?” Clover questioned as he stood. “It may be better if we just walk, ya know?”

“I guess, but I gotta get something from my car anyway. Let’s go.” 

The pair walked over towards the other Ace Ops as they waited by the door. 

The group made their way to Mantle, taking in the sights as they walked. None of them realized how Mantle really was until then. The city wasn’t as rich as Atlas, so they didn’t have the same materials to keep buildings in good shape. Some would say it even looked run-down. 

But even in it’s own way, Mantle was a sight. 

It was the opposite of Atlas’ blinding colors. Mantle had its own aesthetic. 

“Get used to it. We’ll always be like this,” Robyn broke the silence as the other four looked at the buildings. 

“You live in Mantle, yes?” Elm glanced behind her, making eye contact with Robyn. 

“Yeah, me and my partner. Sure, it’s not as high class as Atlas, but it does it’s job.” Robyn smiled as she spoke. 

“At least things are good?”

“Yeah, they are.” A warm smile made its way on Robyn’s face. 

“Lancer’s Cafe!” Marrow exclaimed, pointing at the familiar place. 

“So this is the place your boyfriend works at, Clover?” Harriet whipped around to face him, a smirk on her face. 

“Firstly, he’s not my boyfriend, and I doubt he will be.”

“Oh come on, Lucky. You may have been busy staring at his ass, but he was definitely staring back.” 

“He really is smitten with this guy, huh.” Harriet jabbed at Clover’s side as he winced at her words. 

Was he really smitten for Qrow?

As the group approached the door, Marrow threw it open, taking in the sweet scent of the pastries. 

“Back already? Gods, some might think I’m in trouble,” Lace said as she came around the counter. 

“Lace! Do you have it?” Marrow approached the woman with an excited expression. Lace rolled her eyes as she went to the back room. When she reappeared, she had a small box in her hands. 

“Made it just an hour ago, here.” She then handed the box over to Marrow. “Go ahead and take a seat. I’ll get you all your regulars.” 

The group made their way to a table near the front as Lace went to make their drinks. Marrow sat happily in the corner, eating his slice of chocolate cake, while the others chatted. 

“So, this is the place you saw Watts?” Elm questioned when she noticed Clover’s gaze drift towards the window.

“Yeah, saw him run down that way. We followed, but he suddenly vanished. Still don’t really know what happened,” Robyn answered as she pointed her finger. 

“Then we’ll start on this street before moving to the next. You never know what could’ve happened.”

A few minutes of peaceful silence passed, and Lace came back with a tray of cups. She set them down accordingly: latte for Clover, black coffee for Harriet and Robyn, mocha for Marrow, and green tea for Elm. The group spoke their thanks as she turned back to the counter. But before she could leave, Robyn said, “Where’s your helper?”

“He’s in the back with a kid and his nieces.”

“A kid?”

”I think he’s his son? I’m not sure about their relationship, but they like each other like family. Even care for one another like family.”

As if on queue, Qrow, his nieces, and a younger kid turned the corner. The kid was shorter, but about the same height as Ruby. His black hair matched his hazel eyes. He wore black pants with red boots. A white shirt with a green overcoat. 

Once his eyes met Qrow’s, Clover’s heart fluttered. Heat spread through his person, a blush creeped slightly on his cheeks. His stomach flipped. Words failed him as they approached their table. 

“Didn’t expect to see you so soon, Clover.” His rough voice made his stomach knot. 

“So soon, expect see!”

...

The Ace Ops face palmed as Qrow double over, laughter escaping him. Clover giggled a little at both his embarrassment and Qrow’s adorable laugh. 

“Geez Ebi, how awkward CAN you get?” Elm slammed the table with her fist as a fit of laughter overcame her. 

“He can get very awkward. Look birdie, I’m sorry for you already.” Robyn wheezed as she tried to regain herself. Qrow only raised a brow. 

“What’s that mean?” Yang entered the conversation, a smirk playing on her lips as her brow raised teasingly. 

“Ohhh, do you mean how smitten-“

“Harriet, Robyn!” Clover quickly shut the conversation down as his face flushed. 

“Embarrassed much?” Qrow leaned in a little, a smirk on his lips with a curious brow raised. 

“Not you too!” Clover whined as he covered his face with his hands. His face burned red. 

“Oh come on Lucky, it was pretty funny.” Robyn placed her hand on his shoulder, her senses completely regained. 

“Lace, you did it again! This cake is absolutely delicious!” Marrow seemed completely checked out of the conversation. His tail wagged as he happily ate the remainder of the slice of cake he was given. 

“Good to hear. Want me to wrap the rest up for you?”

“Yes please!” His tail wagged wildly as his eyes shimmered with excitement. Lace smiled at the Faunus and went back to the counter.

“Since Qrow isn’t going to introduce us, we’re his nieces and....” Yang began, but cut herself off as she looked at the younger boy. “I’m Yang, this is Ruby, and this is Oscar!” Before anyone noticed their discomfort, she quickly finished, gesturing accordingly.

“Blondie, good to see you again. I’m Robyn, and these are Clover, Harriet, Elm, and Marrow,” Robyn said, pointing to the others. 

“Are you all friends with our uncle?” Ruby’s interest peaked as Clover’s face flushed as he stared. 

“Why yes Ruby, they ARE his friends.” Yang’s smirk turned devilish as she stared at Clover. 

“Awe, hear that birdie, we’re friends!” Robyn matched Yang’s smirk as their eyes met. “And since we’re friends, how about you tell us some embarrassing stories about your uncle, blondie?” 

“How embarrassing are we going?”

“Robyn!”

“Yang!”

Both Clover and Qrow quickly stopped their train of thought, faces flushed as they glared respectively to their party member. 

“Um, Qrow.” Oscar lightly tugged on Qrow’s sleeve. Their eyes met and Qrow’s face softened. 

“What is it, kiddo?”

“We need to go, remember?” The pair glanced at the clock that sat right above the door. 

“Right, come on.” He turned towards the counter and called to Lace, “Hey, I’ll be back in a bit. Gotta take Oscar to school.”

“Be careful!” 

The pair exited the cafe as Clover watched the man carefully escort the child out and across the street. Once he could no longer see their image, he turned to see a pair of silver and a pair of lilac eyes staring directly at him.

“Do I have something on my face?” He asked as he wiped the corners of his mouth. 

“What are your plans with our uncle?” Yang’s tone was serious as she leaned in. 

“Um, what?”

“I mean, what kind of bond are you looking for?”

“I...I’m not sure really.” His eyes drifted to his forgotten latte as his grip on the cup tensed. 

“Seems like a romantic bond with how much you stare,” Robyn said as she lightly flicked his head. 

“Well, as long as you have good intentions, it should be fine, right Yang?” Ruby sent a quick glare at her sister. 

“Right.”

“I am curious though, what is his and Oscar’s relationship?” Clover’s eyes flicked back to Ruby and Yang. 

“Oscar...he lost his aunt, so Qrow unofficially adopted him.” Ruby twiddled her thumbs as she answered. A thin veil of tension laid upon the table. 

“Oh,” was all Clover could say. But his face softened as the image of Qrow caring for Oscar as a son filled his brain. “It’s kind of cute actually.”

“Yeah, Oscar’s now the baby of the family,” Ruby giggled as she spoke. As quickly as the veil appeared, it vanished. 

“We should probably head out. Still got a job to do,” Harriet said as she finished her coffee. 

“Hey pipsqueak, blondie, you haven’t seen Arthur Watts or Tyrian Callows, have you?” Robyn glanced at the pair. Ruby’s eyes widened as Yang’s narrowed. 

“We uh, actually have.”

“Show us.”

~~~~~~

“Tyrian, what the hell are you doing? We can’t be seen!” Cinder yelled as she attempted to drag the scorpion Faunus away from the streets and into the alleyway. 

“Relax, dearest Cinder. We won’t be spotted. Besides, the bird is busy with one of his children. Plus, the detectives are busy. So really, what’s the rush?” Tyrian cackled as he allowed himself to be dragged. 

“We could still be noticed by passerby. Now, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” She slung her arm around, pulling out a dagger from her boot. She held it to his throat as she spoke, venom dripping from every word. 

“Dear Cinder, you shouldn’t play with knives you know.” His tail flicked, gripping her wrist in a tight hold and dragging it away from his neck. “You should be careful.”

“Whatever, Callows. Let’s finish the job and retrieve the boy.”

“After you, miss.”

Laughter filled the alleyway, barely reaching the streets as people passed by. 

~~~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/23


	4. Run

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a bit shorter, but filled with angst!
> 
> Warning: canon injury

It all happened so fast. All Qrow could see was a long black braid whipping around before he felt it. A long metallic tail came slashing at his midsection. The cloth quickly became soaked with blood as he gripped at his side. 

“Run, Oscar! As far as you can get-“ 

He was quickly cut off by Tyrian going in for another swipe. Luckily, he had enough strength to duck out of the way. He reached for his boot lazily, but found nothing. His footing slipped slightly as he fell to his knees. 

“Looks like the bird isn’t doing so well.”

“L-leave the kid alone...” Qrow begged as he tried to stand. 

“Oh, pretty birdie, we won’t harm him...very much.” Tyrian lifted Qrow’s chin, their eyes meeting. A large, mischievous grin spread across the Faunus’ face. “But the same won’t be said for you...” his eyes seemed to have flashed from gold to purple quickly. Qrow stared in horror as his gut stung from the pain. 

~~~~

“Help!” Oscar screamed as he ran down the sidewalk, wishing, hoping, to find someone to help Qrow. “Please! Anybody!”

“No one will save you, child,” Cinder spoke as she swooped in, landing in front of Oscar.

“Why? What do you even want from me?” Oscar’s voice wobbled as he jumped backward, losing his balance. As he fell down, he saw a glimpse of a large group, walking- no no, they were running. Cinder stepped forward towards Oscar, dragging a small blade across his gut. He yelped in pain. 

“Cinder Fall, step away from the child, now!” Robyn yelled as she whipped her gun out from it’s holster. 

“Well, well, looks like the party is over...” she spoke, irritation and venom dripping from every word as she backed up towards an alleyway. Ruby and Yang scrambled towards Oscar, helping him to his feet. 

“Put your hands in the air!” Robyn continued. 

“...no,” Cinder said, a sinister grin grew on her face as an agonizing scream filled the air. “Looks like Tyrian did something right for once.”

“U-Uncle Qrow!” Ruby yelped as she saw the scorpion Faunus stroll down the sidewalk, carrying a limp body. 

“Quickly get the kids and we can get out of here,” Tyrian said as he approached Cinder. 

“Gods damn it!” Clover took his gun out of the holster, firing a few bullets at the two. As the pellets flew towards the pair, Tyrian dropped Qrow onto the cold, hard ground. 

“It’s time to leave...” he said, annoyed. The pair dodged the best they could as they ran off. 

“Robyn, Harriet!” Clover yelled as he turned to face the two.

“On it!” Robyn put the gun down as she began to run after them. Harrier following closely behind. 

“Uncle Qrow! Please, please!” Ruby ran to her uncle, tears running down her face. Yang and Oscar followed quickly behind as the detectives watched in horror. 

Elm walked over cautiously as she spoke, “Let’s get you all to a nearby hospital...” she rested a gentle hand on Ruby’s shoulder. Tears continued to stream down her face. 

Yang on the other had kept steady. Even so, she still felt pain in her heart. 

Was Qrow going to die...?

~~~~

As the ambulance arrived, Clover fell into a spiral. Should he go back to the office, or stay with the kids?

Well, he had to stay with the kids. 

Sure, they were old enough to take care of themselves, but after seeing their Uncle get attacked...

He didn’t want to risk it. He couldn’t. 

Clover stayed while the others went back to the office. Ruby was glad, but Yang was indifferent. 

Once the ambulance arrived, Qrow was loaded into the back, along with the others. Ruby and Oscar held tightly onto his hands as the truck sped towards the hospital. 

When they arrived, a few staff met them at the door. 

“What happened?” one of them asked. 

“Tyrian Callows stung him,” Clover responded, taking a quick glance at Qrow’s motionless form. He grimaced as he looked away. 

“Please be okay...” he muttered. 

Clover got Oscar checked in as well due to the large cut on his abdomen. Sadly, he had to have surgery to get it stitched up so they couldn’t see him yet. 

Clover fell into a small spiral. He thought he failed Qrow, his nieces, even poor Oscar. The poor kid was only 13! He shouldn’t have gone through this.

Then he felt someone tugging at his sleeves. As he turned, he saw big silver eyes filled with pain as she stared up at him. 

“H-he’ll be okay...right?” Her voice was so weak, so broken. When he had first interacted with the girl, she was so strong, but seeing her now, he remembered just how old she was. 

“He’ll...he’ll be fine...he has to.” Clover gently rested his hand on the girl’s slim shoulders. 

But she didn’t like it. 

She launched herself into Clover, wrapping him in a tight hug as she sobbed into his shirt. 

Once her sobs subsided, he asked, “Want to go see your friends...?” 

She pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She nodded. The three of them made their way quietly to Penny and Pyrrha’s rooms. When they got there, Pyrrha was back with Penny. Ruby started to sob again once she saw the two. Clover watched as Ruby told them what happened. 

But Yang didn’t do anything.

She stood by the door with Clover, watching. 

“You...you okay?”

“You going to run away?” Yang turned, her expression was neutral, but her eyes betrayed how much pain she felt. 

“No, I’m staying.”

“Good...” A small smile found its way to her face as she turned back to the others. 

~~~

When the doctors came back, they told them Qrow had to have surgery. The stinger from Tyrian was poisoned, and if they didn’t arrive then they did, he would’ve died. Clover’s heart skipped at the news, but Qrow was okay now, right?

Luckily, Oscar was up and walking but had to take it easy. Yang kept telling him it would be a cool scar, but Oscar was still nauseous about Qrow’s state. 

So he kept telling himself Qrow would be okay. 

But he didn’t wake up that day. 

Clover was getting antsy while Ruby and Yang just got more worried. They’d visited the whole day. None of them wanted to leave. 

But Clover had to be there for Qrow’s nieces and Oscar. 

So he did. 

While Qrow was out, Clover took care of his nieces and, but mainly, Oscar. He would take them to visit after Oscar was released from school. On days they didn’t have school, Clover would take them into the office. 

Though, his co-workers weren’t that happy about it, it made Clover feel better about the situation. 

This happened for a few weeks. Qrow’s vitals were fine, but he just wasn’t waking up. The nurses and doctors said he should’ve been awake by now, but there was no sign of it. 

Ruby and Yang were scared, Oscar was horrified, and Clover had no idea what to do. He’d never had kids before, but these three seemed easy to deal with. 

But the thought of Qrow never waking up again, not even able to say goodbye to them pained him. What would happen to Ruby, Yang, and Oscar if Qrow didn’t wake up? Would he have to take Oscar under his wing? Would he even be able to?

~~~

One night, he asked Robyn to care for them. At first, she hated the idea, but after seeing how much of a mess Clover looked...

He was spiraling, hard. 

He went out on his own, trying to find the damned fool that hurt Qrow. The fool that messed with Oscar. 

They were going to pay. 

But he couldn’t find them. 

Clover didn’t get much sleep that night...

When he returned, he was much worse than before he left. He had bags so bad that he looked like he had gotten into a fight. He was sluggish as he walked. When he finally reached the couch, he flopped down. 

“Um, Clover, are...are you okay?” Ruby squeaked as she peered down at his lazy form. 

“I’m fine...”

“You don’t look fine...” Oscar winced as he saw the man. 

Gods he was in a horrible state. 

“...right...”

“You...you can talk to us...” Ruby hesitated, but she gently, and slowly, lowered her hand on his shoulder. He tensed at the contact, but loosened himself as he pushed himself up. 

“It’s...it’s just...” he took a deep breathe, trying to remain calm. He continued, “I’m worried...for your uncle. He...he should’ve been awake by now, but there’s no signs of-“ his voice wobbled as he spoke. He wanted to stay strong for the kids, but he couldn’t. The situation had slowly been peeling away his strength. 

“We’re worried too...” Ruby’s grip tightened as her face grew slightly stern. “But we have to keep fighting for him. Sometimes, when we talk to him, I can see slight movements! Like he wants to say stuff, but can’t!” Hope filled the girl’s face as she tried to brighten the mood. Clover could only smile at the girl.

She had so much energy and hope that it made him exhausted, but hopeful too. 

“I made food!” Yang shouted as she walked into the room. The three all turned to the blonde as she stood proudly. 

“Yeah! Let’s get some food in you and you can get some rest. Then we’ll go see how Uncle Qrow is, yeah?” Ruby turned back to Clover, a wide smile on her face. 

“Don’t worry, Lucky, I called you in sick a while ago. Take a day, or even week, off. You deserve it,” Robyn said as she stood behind Yang, her arms crossed with a stern look. 

Chuckling, he agreed to take a week off. Gods did he need it. 

~~~

After they ate, Robyn went to work, while Clover laid in bed and got some rest.

Leaving the kids to themselves. 

“Think he’ll wake up soon?” Yang asked cautiously as she messed with her hair. 

“I hope...” Ruby’s voice was barely audible as she whispered. 

“He will. He has to. He promised he would be here,” Oscar spoke, his voice slightly faltering as he looked up.

“Oscar, he’ll wake up. And soon, too!” Ruby smiled largely at the boy and she brought him into a tight hug. 

~~

Clover was able to get a few hours of rest, but sleep didn’t come easy. He kept thinking about Qrow, about Ruby, Yang, and Oscar. He kept thinking he had failed them somehow. 

Sure, he liked Qrow, but why did he already feel like he should be treating them like they were his actual kids? It felt like he had known them for years, but they had barely met a month or so ago. So why did he feel like he felt so close to Qrow? Was he just THAT easy to talk to?

~~~~~

“Did you get the job done?” Salem spoke as both Tyrian and Cinder entered the room. 

“Ma’am, we-“ Cinder begin. 

“The bird has been put down,” Tyrian interrupted Cinder as he stepped forward slightly. 

“But no Oscar?” Salem’s expression was neutral, but her words dripped venom. 

“My queen-“

“You failed again, Tyrian.”

“It was-“

“I do not care whose fault it was. You both failed on your mission. Maybe I should’ve sent Watts.” As she finished, she turned. Now, facing the windows, she stared out into the black pits of where her castle lay. 

“Or maybe even Hazel.”

“Ma’am, we will fix this. We can go again-“

“Oh no, my dear Cinder. You’ve failed enough times now.” She glanced over her shoulder as her expression shifted to absolute anger. 

“But-“

“Tah tah. It would wise to stay silent, child.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Now tell me, why is did you fail?”

“We’re not sure who it was, but there was a group.”

“Same ones that saw Watts and Tyrian?”

“Yes, my queen.”

There was a pause. An eerie silence consuming the room as Salem stared through the window. 

“Tyrian, take Watts and finish the job this time.”

“What about-“

“Cinder.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Tyrian?”

“Yes, my queen.”

~~~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/27


	5. Welcome Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late upload!!! I’ve not been in a big spirit of writing, so have this!!
> 
> Also, I’m gonna be quite a bit busy here in the next few weeks, so I put a “poll” in the bottom!!
> 
> Love you all, enjoy!

~~~

“Qroooowww!! Hurry up!” a voice squeaked as he zoned out, staring out the large windows at the nearby planes. 

“Qrow!” A small woman threw herself at a young Qrow. Her hair was dark with red tips and pulled into a half bun. Her white cloak draped to the floor, almost twice her size. Her eyes were big and silver. 

“Uh...what did you say, Summer?” Qrow glanced down at the woman, her expression unamused. 

“I’m about to leave, and this is how you see me off? Rude," she scoffed as she playfully punched Qrow’s arm. 

“Sorry, shorty. I got a little distracted...are you sure you gotta go?” he asked hesitantly. 

“I do...you know how my job is...”

“You never told me what you were even doing, or where you’re going.”

“I can’t, Qrow. My boss said I can’t tell anyone...”

“Any reason as to why?”

“Just leave it. I don’t want to get into details,” she said hesitantly as she reached up to scratch the back of her neck. 

“Alright...but do you have to be gone so long? I can only stand Tai for so long.” He chuckled as he ruffled the woman’s hair lightly. 

“Actually...I won’t be back until next year...” Summer fiddled with her thumbs, trying to distract herself. 

“What!” Qrow yelped as he gripped her shoulders. “Why? What happened? You were-“

“Qrow, shhh.” She chuckled as she spoke. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you guys updated! I’ll call every night, and any free time we have! We’ll keep in touch...we’ll be okay...” She placed a hand over Qrow’s gently. A shiver racked his body as he let out a heavy sigh. 

“Baby bird, you’ll be fine...and...” she began, but stopped mid sentence. Carefully picking her next words. “Take care of your nieces...” she said with a small smile, her eyes shimmered in the light. 

“Summer! You’re gonna be late!” A young blonde man with ocean blue eyes ran up. Slight stubble on his chin. 

“Ahh! Tai!” Summer exclaimed as she threw herself into her husband. “I’ll miss you, my dragon,” she chuckled as she nuzzled him slightly.

“I’ll miss you too, my rose,” he said as he pecked her lips. 

“Gag! Couples...” A pale woman walked from behind Tai. Her hair black and long, as her piercing red eyes glared in the direction of the couple. 

“You did hit him too, Raven.” Qrow smirked as Raven made her way to him. 

“Barf.” Was all she said in response. 

“Oh Raven, you love us,” Summer said as she snuggled up against Tai even more. 

“He was right, ya know. You’ll miss your flight if you keep doing this,” Raven said, almost completely monotone. 

“Ah! Right!” She withdrew herself from Tai and collected her things. “I’ll miss you guys...” she murmured as she made her way to the gate. 

“Remember to call us when you get to the hotel!” Tai called to her as she made her way into the plane. 

But the call never came. 

The news flashed on as the three waited patiently, but it quickly caught their attention. The news was reporting a crash - a plane crash. Qrow became breathless as it played, explaining what happened, but nothing made sense. The plane seemed fine, everything seemed perfectly fine! Why did she have to be on the plane? She didn’t deserve it. As the cameras scrolled through to the wreckage, Qrow couldn’t bring himself to watch. It was too painful for him. His best friend was gone.....

~~~~

Qrow woke up screaming, his heart bumped unsettlingly fast, his blood pressure rising. 

He had a nightmare during his coma. 

He looked around the room, slowly recognizing he was in the hospital. Slowly, he leaned back into the bed, closing his eyes once more. 

He’d always had that dream when he was asleep for too long. It was his “wake up call”, as he called it. He hated it. It reminded him of his worst days, mainly the day he lost his best friend, his former love.

He made a promise to himself that day. To take care of his nieces and his brother-in-law. 

But that didn’t end up quite like he wanted it to. 

He fell into a deep hole, and only realized just how deep it was once he finally made it out. 

He hated being there in the past, but now, now that he was sober, he liked it. He wanted to do better for his nieces, Oscar, and Tai. But he seemed to have failed protecting Oscar from Tyrian and Cinder. For all he knew, they captured Oscar. This thought didn’t leave him easily. He glanced around, looking out the window. From the pink and blue colors of the sky, he guessed it was around sunset. 

“Uncle Qrow!” A squeaky voice came from the door, a flash of red and black flew towards his bed, engulfing him in a tight squeeze.

“...Summer...?” The name fell out of his mouth as he went on autopilot, staring at the far wall. The girl tensed. 

“W-it’s me, Ruby...” she corrected softly as she ruffed his graying hair. 

“Ah...right...sorry pipsqueak...” he murmured as he buried his face into the girl’s shoulder, sobbing silently. 

“Qrow...?” She pulled back slowly, gasping as she saw tears streaming down his face. 

“I-I...I failed him...they must have gotten him...I’m sorry....” he rambled as he lightly shook his head. 

“Hey, it’s okay...” she said softly as she combed her fingers through his hair. “We all have those days...those dreams...but we overcome them and make ourselves better...”

The pair sat there for a while, and Qrow started to relax, his breathing returning to normal. 

“Thanks, Ruby...” he said softly as he pulled himself away from the girl. “How long was I out?”

“...about a month...”

His eyes widened in shock at the news, “A month...? Is...” he stopped before finishing his sentence, hating what the answer could be. His heart quickened as he took in everything. 

“Oscar is okay! We’re okay! All thanks to Clover, actually. After everything that happened, he uh...kinda took us in as if it was his duty.” Ruby chuckled as she ruffled his hair again. Qrow let out a heavy sigh as his heart beat returned to normal once again. 

“Thanks kiddo...”

The room fell quiet for a moment before a parade of other kids burst through the door. Yang held onto a cat Faunus’ hand as she led her to Qrow’s bed. Then, a white haired girl with icy blue eyes followed. A boy with blonde hair, awkwardly holding Pyrrha’s hand entered next. And finally, a bright young red headed girl trotted through as a boy with a black braid and an accent of pink followed. The room became lively. The teens chatted, involving Qrow every now and then, but mainly he was left to his own conscience.

Clover took care of his kids? But why! Did he have a goal? If they’re here now, where is-

“I apologize that we are late. Had to get Penny a wheelchair,” Clover said awkwardly as he pushed the girl towards Ruby. He chuckled softly at the lively kids. He then turned to Qrow, mouthing a sorry to him. Qrow only chuckled in response, pulling himself away from his thoughts and into the chatter. 

~~~~

The group began settling down once the sun had completely set. Ruby and Yang went out with their friends, leaving Qrow and Clover to themselves. 

“So...how...how are you feeling?” Clover looked over at the man in the bed, a soft smile on his face. 

“I feel okay....my head hurts like hell, but...” He left out a heavy sigh as he sat up slowly, wincing a little and clutching a few bandages on his torso. 

“Hurts?”

“Like a bitch...”

The two shared a laugh, eliminating any awkwardness that may have been floating around in the air. 

But once the laughter died down, Clover shifted into a more serious tone. 

“Do you remember what happened?” he asked as he leaned forward a little. 

“I remember getting stung, Oscar running and...” he shivered as he remembered the attack. He paused, taking in a deep breath before continuing. “It hurt....”

“The stinger?”

“No...he...he...” his hand shook, and Clover noticed. He slowly moved his hand over Qrow’s, taking it into a tight hold, a reassuring hold. A small smile made its way on his face as he glanced at Clover. “He threw a damned brick at my head...gods that hurt. Kept telling me what they might do to Oscar...”

“Oscar is okay...” Clover squeezed as he spoke. He glanced down at their hands, a slight blush creeping onto his face.

“Where-“

“He’s at my house with Marrow. I can text him to bring Oscar down if you want to see him?” He looked up, staring into those ruby eyes. His expression softened as the pair looked at their hands. 

“I’d like that...please do...” he said softly. Clover withdrew his hands, the warmth leaving as he pulled away from Qrow. 

“I’ll be back in a second then,” he said, giving a quick wink to him as he left the room. As the door shut, Qrow left out a huff and covered his face with his hands. Attempting to hide the blush on his cheeks. 

~~~

Clover stepped outside, dialing Marrow. When the phone was picked up, he could overhear a conversation between the Faunus and Harriet. 

And Harriet sounded very angry. 

“Where the hell is he?” she boomed. Clover had to pull his phone from his ear before shattering his eardrum. 

“He went to see his friend at the hospital. Give the captain a break! He’s been worried sick for this guy the entire month!” Marrow spat back.

“Why does he care so much? He barely knows him?” 

“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met!”

“Of course you would say that. You’re so naive.”

“At least Clover is getting out in the world.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Outside of the other Ace Ops, he doesn’t really have friends, ya know?”

“...I guess you’re right...”

“Thank you...Oh! Uh...sorry captain...” Marrow said as his voice got louder. 

“It’s okay. Hey, can you bring Oscar down? Qrow would like to see him,” Clover said as he shoved the entire conversation down to worry about later. 

“Oh! Of course!” Marrow piped up cheerfully. “We’ll be down soon!”

Clover hung up, a heavy sigh leaving him. 

Did Harriet not like Qrow?

Oh gods. 

~~~~

“How is the prisoner?” Salem turned, her heels clicking as she stepped towards the large doors. The shadows shifted every now and then as the lights shown on the door. 

“Watts has been experimenting on her, and she’s shown no sign of resistance.” Hazel said as he made his way behind the woman. The door slid open slowly, creaking as it moved. The two made their way through a dark corridor. They passed by small windows looking into labs filled with different types of equipment. 

“Ah, you’re back early,” Watts said as they approached the end of the long hall. A panel of buttons sat just underneath a large window viewing into a large room. The room was dark, but a small silhouette of a woman sat in the middle of the only light. Chains were connected to her wrists as she kneeled, staring at the floor. 

“How is she?” Salem asked as a wicked smile grew on her face. 

“Try asking her yourself.” Watt shared the smirk as he gestured towards the window. “Miss Rose, you’ve got a visitor.” He continued sing-song-like. 

“Screw- AH!” The woman began, but stopped. A jolt was sent through the chains and into her body as Watts pressed a button. 

“That’s no way to talk to your capturers. Now,” he said as he turned to Salem. She rolled her eyes as she moved to peer at the woman.

“How are things, Summer?” Her voice was cold as her smirk grew more malice. She didn’t speak. She just held her head low. Salem glanced over to Watts as he pressed the button again. Her screams filled the empty room. 

“Would you like to answer now?” Salem asked as she waved to Watts, signaling him to stop. He lifted his finger, and the screams quieted down. 

“Amazing...” she muttered, more to herself than Salem. 

“Want to repeat that? Louder this time?” 

“Amazing...!” She caved as she huffed. Her breath hitched as a door from the control room opened. Salem’s heels clicked as she made her way towards Summer. Her clothes were tattered, blood staining her white torn cape. Her silver eyes seemed to dull. 

“Darling, I will not allow you to die, so how about we play nice from now on...” Salem said as she lifted her head with two fingers, forcing their eyes to meet. Summer spat on her black dress as she met her eyes. 

“Course you wouldn’t...I’m too precious for you to kill...” 

Salem’s face grew dark as she dragged her hand away. She turned on her heel and clicked away. Once back in the control room, she turned to Watts, and said, “Again.”

Salem sighed as she walked out, allowing the screams to drown her own thoughts. 

~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (8/8)
> 
> Option A: longer later chapters  
> Or  
> Option B: shorter sooner chapters


	6. Quick Bird Oneshot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaaaa,,,,,hello! I’m not dead! I’m sorry for the delay in updates, but this is not an Alls Fair In War update, it’s just a oneshot to satisfy my lack of content!  
> Again, I apologize for no new chapter, though it is currently being written! I don’t know when it will be out?? Hopefully before the 10th of September?¿  
> Again, sorry, and I love you all!!!! Thank you so much for being patient!!

It was a late summer day in Patch. Clover had been visiting his parents due to some...complications at work. As he strolled through the woods, he heard a caw from behind. As he turned, a black bird with beady red eyes glared back at him. He stepped towards it, but the bird began flapping its wings, attempting to scare him away. Clover chuckled as he raised a hand to the bird. The bird cawed again, lightly pecking Clover's fingers. 

"Well aren't you a social thing," Clover said as he stroked the bird's head with two fingers. 

Then, another bird landed next to it, pecking harshly at Clover's hand. He quickly withdrew his hand. This bird was slightly bigger than the first. 

The smaller bird turned to the bigger one and cawed at it, slightly pecking at its body. The bigger squawked back, flapping its large wings at the smaller. 

This went on for several minutes, the bigger bird winning. As it beat its wings, it nipped at the smaller's body, clipping its wings. The smaller hopped back, tucking its clipped wing into its body. Clover jumped in, scooping up the smaller bird and scooting away. The birds squawked at the sudden movement, but neither made a move to stop him. Clover glared at the larger bird as it stared blankly back. It tilted it's head, looked down at the smaller bird, then back to Clover. Lifting its wings, it squawked and flew off. Clover sighed as he looked down at the smaller bird. 

"Hmm..." he carefully turned the bird around, studying it. Upon realization, he gasped. "So you're a crow, huh?" A smile made its way to his face as he held the bird tighter. He lifted its wing carefully before it was yanked back. 

"Looks like you can't fly..." he then looked around before walking back towards his home. 

~~~

His house was quaint. Only his parents lived there, but it was Clover's home. The place he grew up. He occasionally visited when he had some spare time from Atlas and the military. The house had floral patterns engraved into the sides of the walls, a nice garden in back, a flower bed on each side of the path to the front door. As he walked in, he could smell the scent of freshly baked bread, his mother's bread. The bread itself was made normally, but she liked to sprinkle different types of flavors in it. 

"Hi honey! Back already?" His mother called from the kitchen. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a small bun, her bangs stuck to her forehead from sweat. Her golden eyes met his teal. 

"I guess I am," Clover said as he walked into the kitchen. Holding the little bird close. 

"What's that in your arms?" His mother asked as she approached. 

"I found it on my walk. Its wing is hurt, so I wanted to nurse it back to health." He answered as he smiled sheepishly. The bird's head shot up, glaring at the woman. It cawed as it raised its uninjured wing. 

"Well aren't you a cute little thing." She reached her hand out slowly, stroking its head with two fingers.

~~~

Clover explained what had happened to his mother as she laid down a few blankets for the bird to lay on. Floral designs covered both sides of all of them. 

"That's awful. I wonder if it was the bigger bird's territory."

"I don't know. This little guy was there first. So, I'm not sure."

"Hm, well, I'll leave you to it."

"Thanks, mom."

"Of course, dear."

~~~

Throughout the course of the week, the bird's wing had healed, but it didn't want to leave yet. 

So it stayed. Stayed in the safety of Clover and his home. 

Even so, Clover thought of it as a friend. 

So he talked to the bird. 

He described places he had been, Atlas, and even Mantle. And the bird listened. It listened to every word that fell out of Clover's mouth. 

Until the topic of a certain huntsman came around. 

Qrow Branwen. 

Clover admired the man. But he was curious at how he had become so successful for a drunk. He wondered what it would be like to spar against him, to truly see how strong he was. 

But something interrupted Clover's tale of the man. 

The larger bird from before pecked at the window, attempting to chip the glass away. The crow hopped over, glaring through the glass at the other bird. Clover stood, making his way to the window. 

"...do you want out?" Clover hesitated as he moved his hands to the bottom of the window, unlatching it. The crow looked up at him, as if asking to open it. 

So he did. 

As he slid the window open, the crow hopped off, taking flight. The bigger bird, a raven Clover noticed, followed after him. 

Now he was left to himself. 

~~~~

A few weeks had passed and Clover hadn't seen his bird friend. 

But he did see a certain huntsman.

When he arrived back at Atlas, he was met face-to-face to Qrow Branwen. His pale red eyes were softer than he had originally expected. When he had first heard of the huntsman, he heard stories of his cold personality, but the man in front of him was different. 

He was closed off, shy. 

"I'm Clover Ebi, it's nice to meet you."

"I know." the words slipped from him. His eyes widened as he covered his mouth.

"Pardon?"

"Excuse me."

Then he was gone. 

He vanished, leaving behind a trail of feathers. 

Black feathers...

~~~~

Clover made his way to his room, passing by classes of students as he walked. His mind wandered back to the crow he had met weeks before.

It never came back, so maybe it was healthy. 

Right?

Once he made his way to his room, a small black bird sat on the windowsill. 

His bird. 

His crow. 

"Oh...hey little birdie," Clover said as he opened the window, allowing the bird to come in. The crow hopped onto his shoulder, brushing his beak against Clover's cheek. 

Then, something caught its eye. 

Clover's pin. 

The bird dove for it, ripping it from where it was pinned to, and took out to the sky. 

"Hey!" Clover jumped towards the bird, but was completely out of reach. "Damnit..." he muttered to himself. 

He hadn't seen the bird in weeks, and this was his hello?

~~~

The next morning, Qrow had something new on his vest. A pin. 

Clover's eyes wandered down the man's face, and immediately to his pin.

"How did you..." he reached for it, but Qrow smacked his hand away.

"It's mine now." A smirk danced on his lips as the two stared into each other's eyes. 

"Wait...what?"

"Pretty cool party trick, or so I'm told."

"So you're telling me..."

"I was the bird."

"What..."

"And the other one? The one that clipped me? That was my sister."

"How?"

"A secret for another day."

"Okay..."

Clover was dumbfounded. 

But hey, at least he found his bird.

~~~~~


	7. Not-So-Well Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while, huh.
> 
> Hello!!! Enjoy this half chapter of boys being soft!
> 
> Warning: Hostage situation in the beginning, minor angst

~~

As the plane took off, Summer gazed out the window, trying to get a glimpse of her friends one last time. She smiled as she saw the familiar silhouettes pressed against the window. 

The flight wasn’t very long before something went wrong. It was an hour or so since take off, the plane had suddenly started to dive down. She held on tightly to the armrests, her body pressing hard against the seat. Screams filling the plane as it’s altitude lowered. 

“Found you, little rose~” a malicious cackle rang through Summer’s ears as she whipped her head around. 

“Wh-where? Who!” 

“I wouldn’t worry about me, but worry about yourself~” 

A black braid whipped into her view before her eyes shut slowly. Only seeing golden eyes and a large grin on the man’s face. 

~~~

The hospital door slid opening, revealing Oscar, Marrow, and Clover. Oscar was the first to step in, the other two following closely behind. 

“You’re...awake...” Oscar murmured, tears filling his big hazel eyes. He made his way to the side of the bed, taking Qrow into a tight hug. 

“Hey kiddo...you’ve been treating Clover and the others good?” He teased as he smiled fondly at the boy’s love. 

“Better than you,” he said, a large smile on his face. 

“Good. Been doing your school work?”

“Yep! Even asked Clover for some help...I hope that’s okay...”

“Of course it’s okay...” Qrow ruffled his hair as he let a short laugh fall from his lips. 

~~

Clover watched as the two caught up. A warm smile spread across his features as Qrow smiled warmly at the boy. 

“Hey Captain?” Marrow broke his daze as he began hesitantly. “Can we talk? Outside?”

He hummed, stepping out of the room, Marrow following. As he glanced at the Faunus, his tail immediately drooped. 

“How much did you hear...?” He asked hesitantly. 

“...when Harriet asked ‘where the hell I was’.” A humorless laugh fell from his lips as he forced a broken smile on his face. “Sounded angry...” 

“Ever since you met him, it felt like you gave him more attention than...us...well, more to her than the rest of us.” Marrow’s voice was filled with pain as he gazed passed Clover. 

“I...” Clover looked up into his large eyes. He sighed as he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“We were worried about you too...since he was brought here, you seemed more tired than normal...”

Clover’s expression broke, turning into one of pain. “I’m sorry, Marrow. I didn’t mean to worry any of you, really...”

“It’s okay, Captain!” Marrow’s tail wagged as a large smile grew on his features. “Just...I hope everything is okay now,” he said as he calmed his hyper mood. 

Clover smiled at the man as he said, “Everything should be fine.”

“I’ll see you at the office then.”

The two shared a goodbye as Marrow stepped back into Mantle streets.

~~

“I’m glad you’re awake...” Oscar’s voice was barely above a whisper as Clover and Marrow left the room. 

“I am too...you weren’t hurt, were you?”

“I’m fine, trust me.” Oscar chuckled as he ruffled Qrow’s hair. “I heard you had an energetic day.”

“All the kids came earlier...hell of a show...” Qrow chuckled along with the boy. He looked around the room, noticing a few vases of flowers scattered throughout. Some were roses, but most were black lilies. He smiled, heat spreading throughout him. 

He realized the kids loved him...

“Hey kiddo, mind helpin’ me out?” He glanced back at Oscar, a hint of a mischievous smile on his face. 

“Okay...” he said hesitantly, but shuffled closer to the bed. Qrow sat up, slightly wincing as he did so. He swung his feet off the bed and slowly stood. 

“Wow....” Oscar chuckled as he launched himself into his person.

“It’s nice to be able to stand again...” he wrapped his arms around the boy. He had to lean over slightly since Oscar was short, but he didn’t mind the pain that came with it. 

He was with his kid again, and he knew he was okay. 

His kid...

“Very cute, maybe I should take a picture and frame it,” Clover said teasingly as he stepped back into the room. Qrow looked up, a slight blush forming on his face as red stared into teal, a warm smile on his face. Oscar pulled away a little to look up at Clover. He nodded and shoved his face back into Qrow’s abdomen. 

~

Before, Oscar wasn’t a super clingy kid, but upon meeting Qrow and getting to know him, he opened up to the man. Eventually, he assumed him as his adoptive father. 

Something he was never able to have. 

When Oscar was young, his birth parents died, so his aunt took him in. Even so, his childhood wasn’t the best. His home was over run, his aunt even pushed him out. He was forced to leave. 

And so, when Qrow found him, he wasn’t the first to trust. Slowly, but surely, they were able to relate to one another, able to help, to trust. 

Oscar found his home, a haven he was never able to have. So he wanted to cherish every part of that haven that he could. Every part he could love and hold. 

And to Qrow, maybe parenting wasn’t that bad...

~~~~

After a few recovery days and check ups with the nurses, Qrow healed nicely and was finally able to go home. 

On the trek back home, Clover was able to escort Qrow, just incase a psychotic scorpion murder chose to send him back immediately.

Ever since night Qrow and Oscar were attacked, Clover hadn’t been able to get a good night sleep. Always fearing whether Qrow would never wake or the kids would be attacked in the middle of the night. 

But being there with Qrow, in that moment, he felt relieved. He felt as though something had lifted off his shoulders, allowing him a better range. 

“You good there, Cloves?” Qrow snarked as he tilted his head cockily towards the man in question. He froze, heat raising to his cheeks as he stared back at him. 

“Yes, I’m completely fine...better question is how are you feeling?” He quickened his pace, falling into step with Qrow as they walked to his house. They passed by lit Mantle buildings. A much better vibe for Qrow. 

“Little sore, but nothing I can’t handle,” Qrow said as he slowed his pace. His eyes drifted towards the concrete below his feet. His mind began to spiral, recalling more memories of the attack. 

Memories of what Tyrian said before he blacked out....

“You sure?” He hadn’t realized, but Clover noticed quickly and stood directly in front of him. His teal eyes stared softly, a warm smile dancing on his lips as he looked fondly at Qrow. As much of a facade he could muster, inside, Clover was shaking. He didn’t mean to, but the two were close, physically. He could feel his breath on his lips as the man breathed slowly. 

“Qrow...?” Clover began again, more hesitantly this time. In response, Qrow shook his head violently, looking up with a horrified expression. 

“Y-yeah?” His voice was shaky. Clover slowly pulled him into a short hug. Qrow’s body tensed as Clover’s arms wrapped around his thin frame, but he slowly melted into the hug.

Wanting to feel safe....

“We should talk...” Qrow muttered into Clover’s ear as he melted deeper into the man’s hug.

“Okay...”

~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 8/30


	8. <3 Sorry Loves

Hello, Tortle here! 

I’m going to be discontinuing this book. I apologize, but I’ve fallen off the bandwagon of writing Fairgame. I still love the ship, but whatever I write I just can’t seem to put together a oneshot or chapter. I apologize for those that actually enjoyed reading these. I really came in thinking no one would like it, but now I wish(?) that would have happened Ig. 

I still love writing and all, but this has been haunting me for some time now. I knew it would come to an end eventually. 

Maybe after season 8 I’ll pick it up, but not rn. 

I’m truly sorry for those that enjoyed this, I still love you all sm!!!!

Ba bye for now~~


End file.
